The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will hold a seminar in Washington, Pa.,
next week to update the coal mining community on health issues, especially recent progress in
the campaign to eliminate black lung. Miners, mine operators, and other interested persons are
invited to attend the meeting on Tuesday, February 10, at 9:00 a.m. at the Holiday Inn-Meadow
Lands, 340 Racetrack Rd.

"MSHA recently has taken important steps to improve coal miners' health protection. Several
recent actions are based upon recommendations by a special advisory committee that reviewed
the entire black lung prevention strategy," said Davitt McAteer, assistant secretary of labor for
mine safety and health. "As we continue this process, it's important to keep lines of
communication open with the entire mining community."

--Increasing respirable dust sampling inspections;
--Instituting monthly health spot inspections and special emphasis dust inspections at
mines with compliance problems;
--Conducting an educational "sweep" at underground coal mines;
--Holding a "grace period" to encourage reporting of occupational illnesses; and
--Adopting a new policy requiring corrective action when a full-shift sample taken by an
inspector indicates overexposure

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MSHA Coal Mine Safety and Health District 2 Manager Joseph Garcia will open the coal mine
health update seminar in Washington, Pa., after which MSHA health specialists will make
presentations and answer questions on specific issues, primarily related to respirable dust but also
including self-contained self-rescuer maintenance and other topics. There is no charge for the
seminar, which is expected to last from 9 a.m. to about 12 noon. For further information on the
seminar, contact Kevin Stricklin at (703) 235-1358.

Other coal mine health seminars are planned for February 11 in Lexington, Ky.; February 12 in
Beckley, W.Va.; and March 3 in Price, Utah.